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I turned down admission at a good school and decided not to go to law school at all because of the bad job market. Three months later, I feel like I made the biggest mistake of my life and I want to go after all. (To be clear: I first accepted the admissions offer and sent a first deposit. Then I asked for a year's deferment, which the school granted. I sent in the second deposit, but a few months later I reneged, saying I was turning down the admissions offer, and got the second deposit back, per the school's policy.)

Basically, I'm tortured. I think my decision not to go was made out of fear. I want to be a lawyer and should have bucked the fear and taken the leap. Would it be completely lame to email the admissions dean (who personally emailed me after I said no, and told me he'd hoped I'd be a student there) and ask if it's too late? My thoughts are either (a) they'll just think I'm too much of a flake and think I have too much indecision and blow me off, or OTOH (b) at this point in the cycle they're admitting the less desirable candidates off the wait list (I was an early admission) and might be happy to have me.

I'm lame, I know it. I've had terrible indecision all my life. It's too late to apply to more schools for next year - I'm getting too old to do another round. (Age was another factor in my decision not to go. I thought nobody would hire me at this age - which I won't state here - especially in this market, and I would have to open my own practice.)

Didn't your parents ever teach you that the worst that could happen is they say "no"?

Don't email them; call. And make sure you speak with the Dean of Admissions or the person that granted you the original deferment. Good luck!

P.S. I completely agree with bk187. The worst that can happen to you is that they tell you no.

You should try at least.